Driving mechanism for traction-engines.



PATBNL'BD JAN. l, NQ?

ENGMTES.`

@THEN APPLloTIoN FAILED $25.19. 190e.

M. WILSON. DRV'NG MEGHANISM FOB accordance with the invention.

being on anV enlarged scale.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

h/IATTHEN WILSON, OF DY'S'ART, IOWA.y

p Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jaml, 1907.

Anplieatiori filed February 19. 1906. Serial No, 301,862.

To @ZZ whom't't maar; concern.-

le it known that l, MATTHEW WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dysart, in the county of Benton and State of lowa, have invented a new and useful Driving Mechanism for Traction Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traction mechanism, and has for its principal object to provide an apparatus of simple construction whereby the'driving mechanism of a tractionengine or similar vehicle may be adjusted for the purpose of propelling the vehicle in either direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide av mechanism of this kind in which it will be unnecessary to stop. the operationof the driving-engine or the rotation of the shaft or counter-shaft of the engine when changing.

the direction of travel of the vehicle.

lWit-h these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features cf construction andA arrangement of Vparts herein-v N atterfully described, illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out inthe appended claim.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1` is a plan view of a portion of a traction-engine provided with driving and reversing mechanism arranged' and constructed in Fig. 2`is a detail sectional view through one of the driving-gears and clutching devices', the view Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same on the line s 3 Of'rig. 2. Y

Similar characters of reference areemployed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several 'figures of the draw- A portion of the frame of a traction-engine is lshownat A in Fig. 1, and said frame carries engine, the latter being employed in the presentinstance for purposes `vof propulsion. This shaft further carries a pairy of balance-wheels 13, mounted in the usual manner. Mounted loosely on the shaft 11 is a pair of bevel-pinions 14 and 15, the teeth of'which are constantly in mesh with a bevel-gear 16, that is rigidly secured to the shaft, F, and one or other of the pinions may be clutched to the shaft 11 in order that power may be transmitted through the gear 16 and from thence to the traction-shaft, the direction of movement 'of the latter depending on the bevelgear that is rigid tothe shaft. A

Each of the bevel-pinions 15 is provided with an annular flange 18, and arranged within this frame is a' clutching mechanism, which in thepresent instance comprises a hub 19, keyed or otherwise rigidly securedfto the shaft 11 and providedwith a pair of diametrically-opposed arms 20. These arms carry pvoted shoes 21, that are arranged to' follow the curvature of the inner Wall of the flangefand which may be pressed againstY suchinner wall with sufficient force to firmly clutch the arms 20 to the flange 18.

Mounted loosely at the central portion o the shaft 11 is asleeve 22, that is provided at each end with a pair of links 23, said links being preferably formed o f adjustably-connected. sections in order to increase or decrease their lengths. These links serve to pivotally connect lthe, sleeve 22 -to the. clutching-shoes 21, and as said sleeve is moved in one' direction or the other one of the bevel-pinions 14 15 will be firmly clutched to the driving-shaft 11. .The central portion, of the sleeve 22 is Aprovided with an annular groove for the reception of the bifurcated end of a clutchoperating lever 26, which may be operated by a lever 27 `in the'usua-l manner for the purpose of eecting endwise movement of the sleeve 21. j

The mechanism is so constructed and adjusted that the shaft 1 1 may revolve continuously, and whilexthe sleeve '22 remains in mid-position both of the pinions remain loose yon the shaft and Ano movement is imparted to the traction-wheel. As the sleeve is moved in one direction, sayto the right, the links 2 3 at one end of the sleeve will force the shoe 21 outward into engagement with the inner circular Wall 4of the flange 18 of bevel-pinion 15 and will gradually clutch said pinion 15 to the shaft, so that the movement may be transmitted withoutQ the abrupt starting and stopping incident to the employment of ordinary toothed clutches. When the lever is moved in the opposite direction,

IOO

IIO

" to both the driving-shaft' and the axle, anv a bevel-gear and a bevel-.pinion carried by the' i' While the pinion 1,4 'will be tothe shaft. 1

gradually locked ltract ion-engines and other vehicles, a driven shaft, a pair of bevel-gears mountedloosely on the shaft and facing in lopposite directions, respectively, a pair of clutches for lockv ing the bevel-pinions to the shaft, a sleeve carried by the shaft and 'forming an operating member for both clutching devices', a' sleeve-actuating lever, an axle, a bevel-gear thereon, a counter-shaft disposed at an an le 'counter-shafw une geariintermeshing with thepair bfloose bevel-pinions, and the pinion mtermeshing with the bevel-gear of the axle,

whereby movement may be transmitted from.

the drivin -shaft to the axle in either d irecf tion, and t e vehicle may be s to ped Without stopping the movement of the riving-shaft. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature rin the ,presneoe of two Witnesses'.

MATTHEW WILSON.

Witnesses: l

GEORGE E. KNAPP,`

E. T. BRYANT. 

